


Tender Indeed

by onlywordsnow



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, College AU, EFA Fic Challenge 2020, F/F, Meta Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25792087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlywordsnow/pseuds/onlywordsnow
Summary: A college writing course turns out to not be as easy as Waverly expected it to be.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 6
Kudos: 112





	Tender Indeed

_ Tender  _

_ Tender  _

_ Tender  _

The word echoes in her head like a broken record. It’s been haunting her for days upon days upon days to the point that her mind has turned into those simple text gifs with the word floating across her mind like a screen saver on her computer when she was a child. The memories of her childhood in the echo chambers. 

At least she isn’t the only one struggling. The rest of her classmates are seeming to struggle with the prompt from their super fun writing course. The super fun elective that she and a few friends decided to take has really turned out to be the bane of their existence. Once again, not alone in the lack of joy so it sort of takes out the sting. But only barely. 

Her coffee cup is nearly empty and her body feels a little defiant in regards to energy but, as the school library comes into view, she musters it all back. She had arranged to meet with her friends from class the day before, a sort of study session where they can help each other at least a little bit. The silence of her apartment, just a few blocks from campus, has been swallowing every thought she’s had whenever she gets even remotely close to writing anything. A change of scenery will do her good, so Waverly clings on to that hope. 

When she approaches the building, sun fading into the horizon, she sees her newest friend. She has red hair and a smile so infectious that she never fails to smile back. The dimples in her cheeks always makes Waverly’s heart skip a beat. It’s so subtle, but it’s so present that Waverly has begun to understand the finer things in life. Like beautiful girls. Something she did not understand in high school, something she pretended she did not see. 

Hesitating briefly, she works up the courage to approach her. Waverly had been banking on her friends being here before her as they all live in dorms on campus, but their late(r) arrival really gives her cause for concern. Where is she to find courage now? But, before she can second guess herself, she locks eyes with Nicole across the quadrant and the redhead instantly smiles widely, giving her a warm and welcoming wave. 

Waving back, she picks up her pace as she crosses the grass towards the tall drink of water. Her hair looks slightly disheveled like it’s been caught in the wind or something, and Waverly steadies herself as she closes the distance. She looks around quickly in hopes she will see Chrissy or Jeremy or Rosita, but they do not seem to be present. Silently, she curses the gods of the universe and marches on. 

A few small strides brings her within arms length of the prettiest girl that Waverly has ever seen and she’s met with the gentlest, “Hey, Waves” 

“Hi,” Waverly answers, voice a low hum. Nicole’s hand falls to her side and she sees the redhead bury her hands into her jean pockets out of the corner of her eye. Swallowing thickly, she looks away and scans the area around them to spot her friends, but they still haven’t yet made an appearance. “Where are the others?” 

Nicole shrugs half-heartedly. 

“Late?” Waverly asks. 

The redhead tilts her head slightly, a playful grin spread across her mouth, and she says, “Not coming?” 

“I don’t know,” Waverly admits. 

“Maybe something came up,” Nicole replies. Waverly huffs in annoyance, wondering why her friends would stand her up like this. It really isn’t like them to pass up a chance to tease her about her seemingly obvious crush in the redhead. Not that Waverly has exactly admitted to it just yet. “You want to head inside?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Waverly says, nerves beginning to thrive, “We can get started.” 

Nicole’s grin widens and she turns on her heel, reaching out to hold the door open. Nodding graciously, Waverly steps through the open door and into the vestibule. Before she can grab the door handle, her companion is reaching forward and pulling the door open. Nicole is a few steps behind her as they walk around the desk. She spots a familiar face, Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome who is a TA of one of her classes. 

“Hi, Waverly,” he greets, a warm smile that makes her feel a little weird being on the receiving end in front of Nicole, “How are you?” 

He leans on the counter and drops his chin into his hand, visibly swooning at the sight of her. Normally, before she could call Nicole her new friend, she would give in to the idea of swooning back. He is nice and he is cute and he is smart - totally her type - but, that was before she had an obviously growing crush on the redhead and before she was ready to admit that women are divine creatures who should be cherished. 

“I’m well, Perry,” she replies, hesitating in her step. Nicole hovers awkwardly, toe of her sneaker catching on the tile and squeaking loudly. She glances at her friend over her shoulder, giving her a tight and apologetic smile to Nicole. Turning back, she says, “How are you?” 

“I’m ok,” he replies, “Hey, someone finally brought that book back.” 

Waverly blinks at him, mind blank. 

“The one on ancient languages you’ve been wanting to check out,” he reminds her, “I’ve been holding it up here, waiting to run into you.” 

“Oh,” Waverly says, glancing behind her again, “We were just going to work on something for class. Later?” 

“Find me after,” he says. 

Waverly nods and turns on her heel, continuing to the staircase. They climb quietly, avoiding other students descending the stairs to leave the library. When they reach the top, she feels the space beside her warm as Nicole uses the advantage of her long legs to find Waverly’s stride. 

“That guy likes you,” Nicole teases, elbows accidentally bumping together. 

“He’s sweet,” Waverly replies, “But not really my type.” 

Nicole’s eyebrow quirks on her forehead at the response but neither of them comment on it. She isn’t sure she would even know how to reply if Nicole did comment on it, so perhaps it’s better off this way. In the silence, they find a table and take a seat. They sit on opposite sides and quietly get their computers out of their backpacks. As they boot up, she feels Nicole’s shoe hit her own and when she looks up catches a sheepish smile on the other woman’s face. 

“Have you had any ideas?” Nicole asks. 

“Ugh,” Waverly groans, pushing her booting laptop aside to get a clearer view of Nicole’s pretty face, “Every time I get one it just  _whoosh_ .” 

Nicole giggles softly and says, “Same here. I just think there’s so many things you can do with the prompt.” 

“So many?” Waverly scoffs, “What on earth can you do with the word  _tender_ ?” 

“A lot,” Nicole replies, “It just means so much.” 

“You,” Waverly starts, mouth dropping open slightly as she shakes her head, “Are...insane.” 

“What’s that mean?” Nicole asks, eyebrows furrowing. 

“It means that I have zero ideas,” Waverly answers with a pout. 

Nicole laughs very, very quietly and all it manages to do is make Waverly feel mocked. This gorgeous woman in front of her is flowing with ideas while her brain has stopped working all together. After a moment, she buries her head in her arms and gives in to her mental exhaustion. 

“No, hey,” Nicole murmurs, the sound of movement flooding Waverly’s ears until she feels warmth wrap around her wrist, “Come ‘ere.” 

“It’s just not fair,” Waverly whines as she lifts her head. With ease, she turns her body to face Nicole’s, now sitting in the chair beside her own, and stares into her insanely, beautiful, brown eyes. Her mind goes blank again, a black abyss that is just nothing and nothing and nothing. “Have you started?” 

“No,” Nicole admits, “But it’s not for lack of ideas.” 

“Then why?” Waverly asks. 

“I’ve been busy,” Nicole answers with a shrug. The pad of Nicole’s thumb sweeps over the bone in her wrist and she holds her breath. She doesn’t entirely know how they got here, semi-alone, having a, dare she say, tender moment. “But it isn’t about the word itself. It’s about what it means.” 

“What does it mean to you?” Waverly asks, voice foreign to herself. 

“It can be a result of an action,” Nicole starts, but then her head tilts down and her voice drops lower when she says, “Or it can be a moment with a pretty girl.” 

“It can be a moment,” Waverly echoes. 

“Yeah,” Nicole says, smiling softly as the grasp on Waverly’s wrist releases, “It can be a moment.” 

“Nicole,” she asks, managing to will herself to press their palms together, “Do you maybe want to get coffee sometime?” 

“I could use some coffee,” the redhead replies. 

“Now?” Waverly asks, mildly shocked, “You mean now?” 

“Yeah,” Nicole says with a grin. She stands slowly and closes her laptop from across the table. Waverly watches, her confusion from the shift in the evening only growing. “We can stop and get the book from your boyfriend.” 

“Oh my god,” Waverly says, heat rising to her cheeks. She pushes at Nicole’s stomach, but the other woman catches her hands. She stares up at the other woman; wondering how she’s managed to get herself in the situation where the person she’s crushing on is now teasing her. “I don’t like him. I like someone else.” 

“Heh,” Nicole replies, loosening her grasp, “Someone else likes you too.” 

Waverly manages to write the story of asking her crush out for coffee. 

She even gets to write the ending with a kiss. 


End file.
